Vessel-positioning device.



No. 851,080. PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

0. B. ERHART & B. GALATTI.

' VESSEL POSITIONING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION'IILED SEPT. 6, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE.

GALATTI, OF KENTUCKY.

VESSEL-POSITIONING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed September 6, 1906. Serial No- 338,525.

To all whom zit may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES B. ERI-IART and EDWARD GALATTI, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, and at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Veseel-Positioning Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to vessel positioning devices and is especially applicable in connection with barges, for instance, coal barges, for-use when unloading thelatter,particularly when the unloading is being done by means of power shovels or excavators, and we have shown the same as applied in connection with a coal-elevator for elevating the coal, for instance to the top of the river bank, such elevators being the usual means of carrying the coal from the water to the top of the bank of the river in the central part of the United States.

Our invention consists in providing means whereby the power shovel or excavator and the means for positioning the barge may be operated from a common source of power and in such manner that the slack of the cables from the barge-positioning drums to the barge or vessel may be taken up at all times;

further in providing barge-positioning means operated by the motive power of the powershovel or excavator; and further in the parts and in the construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view, partly broken away, showing the general arrangement of the mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the winding means for the vessel-positioning device. Fig. 3 is an end view of the latter; and, Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section taken on the line as of Fig. 2.

A is the vessel or barge it is desired to move. B is the power-float. O is the elevator-fioat, on which there is a hopper D from which suitable oars E are adapted to be loaded. Oars travel on tracks F F on the inclined plane G. These cars are drawn up the inclined plane by means of cables H, there being one or,more cables for each track. I is a power-hoist or derrick having a swinging beam K which is controlled or positioned in suitable well-known manner, the beam being pivoted at 76 to the frame-work of the power-float. On the power-float there are one or more engines L L, shown as steam engines, although other motive power may be employed, the motors operating a central shaft 1 on which there are pinions 2 2 meshing with gears 3 3. 4 4 are winding drums over which chains 5 5 are adapted to be wound, the chains passing to an excavatorbucket 6. This bucket is shown as an orange-peel excavator-bucket of usual type. For controlling the latter, the winding drums 4 4 are thrown into or out of control of the power of the pinions 2 2 in suitable manner, so that either or both of the same may be suitably operated.

In unloading a barge it is desirable that the barge be shifted along the power-float so that the excavator-bucket may be successively dipped into the various portions of the barge for bringing the contents of the different parts of the barge under the excavator-bucket, and

for economy of speed and labor we have found it desirable that the barge be under the control of the power from which the excavator is operated. We further place the barge-positioning means under the control of the operator standing .in practice adjacent to the hopper D, being the hopper attendant or dropper, and in our improved device we provide means by which the said operator is enabled to keep the cables from the barge-positioning drums to the barge taut at all times.

11 is a shaft on which there is a gear 12 meshing with a pinion 13 on theshaft 1. The shaft 11 has a pinion 14 which meshes With gears 15 16. The gears 15 16 respectively have friction hubs 17 18 attached thereto, with which friction-shells 19 20 on winding drums 21 22 are adapted to respectively engage, each of the friction-shells having a friction-face 23. The gear 15 is keyed to a shaft 24, on which the winding drum 21 is journaled, while the gear 16 is keyed to a shaft 25 on which the winding drum 22 is journaled, the said shafts respectively being journaled in bearings 26 27. Each of said. gears and its winding drum has a spring 28 between them for normally holding the friction faces between the gear and drum out of contact. Each of the shafts 24 25 has a central bore 29 into which a pin 30 loosely takes. The pin engages a cross-key 31 in a slot 31.

The cross-keys 31 in turn respectively enage collars 32 33 about the shaft 24 25, the

- collars 32 33 respectively engaging the winding drums 21 22. Levers 34 35 are pivotally secured respectively at 36 37 to the standards 38 attached to the outer bearings in which the winding-drum shafts are journaled. Ropes 39 40 are secured to said levers. Each of these ropes has an upward stretch and pass respectively over pulleys 41 42 suitably supported to the frame of the power-float and then lead overhead to the hopper attendants position X on the elevator-float, where they are respectively secured at 43 44 to the hopper, within convenient reach of the hopper attendant. Each of the levers is provided with a shoe 45 which engages a spring-plate 46, the latter being forced against the end of the pin 30 by the raising of the swinging end of the lever to Which the rope is attached for causing engagement of the friction faces between the drum and operating gear, the spring-plate 46 however being normally retracted. The swinging end of the lever is normally depressed by its weight.

Friction bands 47 48 respectively take about friction-faces 49 50 on the windingdrums 21 22 for selectively retaining the winding-drums in selectively wound relation or retarding the winding or unwinding of the same. These bands respectively connect with the operating shafts 51 52 to which brake-levers 53 54 are secured. Ropes 55 56 connect with the last-named levers respectively. Each of these last-named ropes has an upward stretch, and pass respec tively over pulleys 57 53 suitably supported to the frame of the power-float and then pass overhead to the hopper attendants position where they are respectively secured at 59 60 to the hopper within convenient reach of the hopper attendant. Each of the shafts 51 52 is provided with arms 61 62 to which the respective ends of its friction-band are secured, so that when the brake-lever is manipulated the band may be tightened about its friction-face.

The operator for the excavator has his position at Y.

In our improved device the excavator and the vessel-positioning means may be manipulated simultaneously or independently of each other from a common source of power.

A cable 63 is wound about the windingdrum 22 and extends therefrom and passes for instance forwardly on the power-float about a sheave 64 and then aft, and at its end has a loop 65 which takes over a bitt or timber-head 66 at the stern end of the barge. A cable 67 takes about the drum 21 and passes forward, and at its end has a loop 68 which takes about a bitt or timber head 69 at the prow of the barge and is preferably guided with relation to the drum by a roller 70. It will be noted that the rotary axis of the winding drum 21 is above the rotary axis of the winding drum 22 for preventing interference between the cables which pass from the winding drums.

In practice in unloading a coal-barge it is desirable that the barge be guided to differ ent positions alongside the excavator. The unloading is begun with the barge positioned upstream as far as possible so that the excavatorrwill act on that part of the load which is in the stern of the barge. As the excavator takes out the load at this position, the barge is gradually shifted or dropped downstream so that the excavator will act on successively adjacent parts of the barge. lVe have found it desirable for rapid work to have the barge under the positive and quick guidance of the operator at the hopper position in order to quickly guide the barge, so that the heaps of coal in the barge may be placed with speed under the excavatorucket when the latter is being manipulated or dropped, and this quick manipulation is also desirable to prevent injury to the barge which throughout its length is provided with cross-beams 71 for strengthening the same. By the manipulation of either rope or connection 39 or 40, either winding drum 21 22 is caused to rotate, it being understood that the shaft 1 continuously rotates, and by the manipulation of either rope 55 or 56, either brake for either winding-drum may be manipulated, so that each winding-drum of the vessel-positioning device is always under direct control of the operator at the hopper. In this manner the cables or flexible connections from the winding drums to the barge or vessel may be kept taut and one or the other of said cables also relieved as soon as the winding of its mate begins, it being understood that as one of said cables is wound, the other is unwound. Our improved device also dispenses with the ne cessity of helpers for guiding the flexible con nections with the barge and taking care of slack therein. WVe also prefer to employ wire cables between the winding drums and the barges, and in our improved construction old cables H which have been discarded in the elevator service on account of being worn or having become too weak may be used on the winding-drums, thus saving the cost of new material, and dispensing with the use of Manila rope.

Having thus fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vessel positioning device for use with a loading hopper, the combination, with a barge and a hopper, of a pair of winding drums, flexible connections connecting said winding drums and barge, a pair of gears, means for driving the latter, said respective winding drums and gears having frictionfaces therebetween, and means operable from the hopper attendants position for manipulating the engagement of said friction-faces, substantially as described.

2. In a vessel-positioning device for use with a loading hopper, the combination, with a barge and a hopper, 0f a pair of Winding drums, flexible connections connecting said drums With said barge, a pair of gears, means for driving the latter, said respective Winding drums and gears having friction-faces therebetWeen, means operable from the hopper attendants position for manipulating the engagement of said friction-faces, a brake for each of said drums, and meansoperable from the hopper attendants position for manipulating said brakes, substantially as described.

3. In a vessel positioning device for use With a loading hopper, the combination With an excavat0r-barge and excavator therefor, a vessel positioning device on said barge comprising a pair of drums, a cable on each of said drums adapted to respectively engage With the respective ends of a vessel to be unloaded, a motor for driving said excavator, releasable driving connection between said motor and drums, and means for operating said releasing mechanism from the hopperattendants position, substantially as described.

4. In a vessel-positioning device, the combination, With a power-float, a vessel to be positioned, and a hopper, of a pair of drums, a cable for each releasably secured to the respective ends of a vessel to be positioned, a gear for each of said drums, each of said drums and its gear having releasable friction-faces therebetWeen, a pinion meshing With each of said gears, a lever overhanging each of saiddrums and having moving connection With its drum for causing engagement of said friction-faces between said drum and its gear, and flexible connections secured to said respective levers and leading to the operators position at said hopper for controlling the operation of said drums from said operators position, substantially as described.

5. In a vessel-positioning device, the combination, With a power-float, a vessel to be positioned, and a hopper, of a pair of drums, on said power-float a cable for each releasably secured to the respective ends of said vessel to be positioned, a gear for each of said drums, each of said drums and its gear having releasable friction-faces therebetween, a brake for each of said drums, levers for operating said brakes, a pinion meshing With each of said gears, a lever overhanging each of said drums and having moving connection With its drum for causing engagement of said friction-faces between said drum and its gear, flexible connections connected With said brake-levers for operating said brakes, and flexible connections connected to said overhanging levers, all of said flexible connections leading to the operators position at said hopper, substantially as described.

6. In a vessel positioning device for use With a loading hopper, the combination, With a barge and a hopper, of a pair of Winding drums, flexible connections connecting said Winding drums and barge, releasable driving means for said drums, and means operable from the hopper attendants position for manipulating said releasable driving means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, We have subscribed our names hereto in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses:

CHARLES E. ERHART. EDWARD GALATTI. Witnesses:

CORDELIA OHEARN, A. F. HERBSLEB. 

